March 8th - International Women's Day

This International Women's Day is an opportunity to celebrate progress that has been made towards gender equality and to learn more about the barriers still facing women around the world.

"A bus to get to work. A clinic for health care. A monthly pension for old age. Some people can take these for granted. But many others suffer from the lack of infrastructure, public services and social protection that affect their rights and well-being. Women and girls are often foremost among those who miss out.

Progress and real development will only be possible if all people have equal rights and opportunities to thrive. Meeting that goal requires recognizing that women and girls face particular barriers and have different needs. And then taking deliberate steps so that no woman or girl is left behind, regardless of where she lives or how much she earns, or where she comes from."

Click here to read more from the UN Women photo essay: "Equality is our goal. Access is our right".